Flashlight holder



i 1 t 'I i 1 Patented Jan. 13, 1948 UNITED .STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT HOLDER .Julius Schafranek, Newark, N. J. Application Aug-ust 14, 1946, Serial No. 690,491

Y (o1. 24S-359') Claims. 1

This invention relates to a holder .especially adapted for holding a flash light. It happens a great many times that an individual wishes he had someone or something to hold a flash light so both hands can be utilized in the operation where the light is required to see how to do the work.

I am aware of the fact that numerous structures have been proopsed for holding a flash light but I have found from experiencethat they are more or less crude in construction, awkward to handle and relatively expensive and do not satisfactorily serve the very purpose for which they 4were intended. Y

It .is therefore the principal object of my invenltionv to 'prov-ide a iiash lightholder which will overcome 'the aforesaid objections andft-he im-- proved Vstructure is set forth in the following specification takeny in connection with the annexed drawing, wherein,

Figure 1 is a perspective view showing the holder in one position, the ash light per se not being shown.

Figure 2 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 1 with the base in upside down position, folded up and in a position for packaging and shipping.

Figure 3 is a view of a modified form of the construction.

Figure 4 is a view of the structure shown in Figure 3 folded up for packing and shipping purposes.

In Figures 1 and 2, B is a base made from a single piece I of suitable stiff material such as rust-proof steel or a suitable chrome alloy. 'I'he ends of the wire I are formed into a projection 2 with the ends coming together as indicated by the dotted line 3 in Figure 2. Preferably the parts forming the projection 2 come together at 3 and may be butt or spot welded at that point. At the beginning of the projection 2 the parts preferably come together at 4 and are spot welded at this point. Attached to the projection 2 of the base B is a support member 5 formed of a single piece of suitable metal. The member S is L- shaped in formation having long arm 5 and a short arm 6. The arm 6 is bent around the projecting part 2 of the base B, as indicated, thereby covering the joint 3. It will be seen from Figure 1 that the short arm 6 extends over and rests on the projection 2 of the base B when the arm 5 is in vertical position, thereby giving a substantial bracing effect to the support S. The upper or free end of the long arm 5 is bent a part 1 formed somewhat cup-shaped and likewise the part of the arm 5 opposite the portion 24 has a similar formation 8 to -pro- Vide a seat for a ballv 9. The ball v9 has Aa stem Il0 fastened thereto and to this stem is fastened a member II of suitable resilient material having `outwardly cur-ved lips I2 and I3 to assist in :mounting .the Hash light into member II. As shown in Figures 1 and ,2, the arm 5 has a threaded hole therein to receive a stud I4 having a head ,I5 whereby the part 24, which has considerable resilience, may be adjusted ,to give the right .amount of friction to the ball -Ssothat the I4 may be turned around-at any angle through 360 ,at the same time `it may be moved in Aanother-direction approximately 180 ,-byreason of ,the stem ,-I0 moving in the -slot -I6 of the ball seat.

I prefer the construction just described although the part 24 may have sufficient strength and resilience so the adjusting stud I4 will not be required and any adjustment required can be done by applying a force directly to the part 24. From what has been said it will be readily seen that theflash light carried by the holder can be adjusted to a multitude of positions. The structure just described is such that the base B can be slipped back of ones belt and the support member adjusted to any position to properly locate the ash light so that the operator can move around and carry the flash light with him both hands free. As shown in Figure 2 the support member S is turned through an angle approximately 270 from that shown in Figure 1 and lies across the bottom of the base B with the holder II turned to occupy the least space in a package. I found this feature very advantageous in packing a quantity of the devices for shipping purposes.

In Figures 3 and 4 the base B is made from a punching or stamping and the support S is made very similar to that shown in Figure 1 except in this form the extremity of the base I has a rolled over portion IT to receive a pin I8 that passes through the turned over portion I9 of the short arm 6. In this form the upper end of the long arm 5 is straight and provided with a holder to receive a pivot pin 20 which carries a holder II which may be exactly like that shown in Figure 1 but as indicated is somewhat smaller and its outer curved ends provided with a, ball link member 2| to provide the proper gripping effect on the flash light after it has been inserted into the holder I. In this form the base B is provided over at 24 and this bent-over portion 24 has 55 with an orice 22 so the base may be attached to a hook or equivalent if the occasion warrants. Also the arm 6 is provided vwith an orifice 23 for a simi1ar.purpose with a cooperative hole in the base B, if found necessary for certain work. These holes permit the hanging up of the device in most any position. The same hole 23 is in the arm 6 in the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2` The structure shown and described can be made at a. very low cost and yet perform services for which it is intended in a highly eflicient manner. Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. A flash-light holder including a single piece base adapted for insertion back of a users belt, the base having an extension on one side thereof,

a single piece L-shaped support member having long and short arms with the short arm pivotally mounted on the base extension, the short arm in one position of the support member resting on the base at the extremity thereof, while in this y the free end of said support member.

- 2.` AilaSh-light holder as set forth in claim 1 further deiined in that the free end of the long arm is bent over and has the material of the bentover portion and 'a part opposite it formed into a ball seat and means for adjusting the position of the bent-over portion. l

3. A Bash-light holder including a base formed of a single piece of wire with a projection at one edge, an L-shaped support member having a short arm pivoted to the outer part of said projection and in one position of operation the short'arm rests on the projection, while in this position the long arm extends upwardly away from the base and a member of resilient material for gripping a iiash-light, rotatably mounted on the free end of the long arm of the support member.

4. A flash-light holderhaving a base that can` be readily slipped back of a users belt or hungv f on a support, said base having an extension on one side, a support member pivoted to the base extension and having a part resting flatwise on the base when said member is one position of operation, a gripping member rotatably attached tothe support member for holdingvlthe dash-light, the-Support member being-vfoldableioverthe opposite side of base from the first-mentioned position as and for the purpose described.

5. A flash-light holder including a single piece base having substantially a at engagement area so it may be slipped back of a users belt, a single piece flat'stock L-shaped support member pivotally mounted at the horizontal arm of the L on the base at the extremity of one end soit will turn thereon through an angle of approximately 270 and a single member of resilient material for gripping a hash-light rotatablymounted at-the free end of the support member so kas to'be rotated through 360 at-'a'ny arcuate position of its mounting which of itself may beturned through an angle of approximately `180 f JULIUS SCHAFRANEK.- REFERENCES CITED f i UNITED STATES PATENTS- 

